Baseball Rallies Late to Earn Split with Genesee CC.
After falling 9-7 in 11 innings of game one, the Lakers rally for a 6-5 win in nine innings in game two.
CANANDAIGUA, N.Y. — The Finger Lakes Community College baseball team split its doubleheader with Genesee Community College Saturday afternoon at FLCC's turf complex.
The Lakers (18-14) dropped a heartbreaker, 9-7 in 11 innings in game one before rallying late for a 6-5 win in nine innings in the nightcap vs. the Cougars (9-17).
Game One
The Lakers trailed 6-1 heading into the bottom of the sixth inning of the opener before erupting for six runs to take a 7-6 lead.
Freshman Lucas Sulimowicz (Rochester, NY/Greece Athena) delivered a two-run double into left field, classmate Kenny Murphy (Webster, NY/Webster Schroeder) added a two-run triple into right field, Murphy stole home, and freshman Nolan Storch (Elmira, NY/Elmira) hit an RBI double to put the Lakers up by one heading into the top of the seventh.
The Cougars scratched across the tying run in their half of the seventh. Neither team scored in the eighth and ninth, but Genesee CC had a good scoring chance in the top of the tenth. The Cougars put runners at second and third with only one out, but sophomore Alex Savory (Sodus, NY/Sodus) got back-to-back strikeouts to end the threat.
In the bottom of the 10th, it was the Lakers who had the golden opportunity to win the opener. Freshman Tim McClare (Macedon, NY/Gananda) led off with a single into left field and Sulimowicz dropped a single into right field to put runners at the corners with no outs. Freshman pinch runner Jordan Perry (Pembroke Pines, FL/St. Thomas Aquinas) stole second, but the Lakers were retired on consecutive groundouts and a flyout to deep center field to end the inning.
Genesee CC scored twice in the top of the 11th, and despite back-to-back one-out singles from Storch and freshman Grant Rodriguez (Henrietta, NY/Rush-Henrietta), the Lakers failed to score and dropped game one.
Rodriguez went 3-for-5 with a run and an RBI, Sulimowicz was 2-for-3 with two RBI and a run scored, Murphy finished with two RBI, McClare went 2-for-5 with a run scored, and Storch was 2-for-2 with an RBI in the loss for FLCC.
Among the pitching highlights, freshman Tanner Frank (Brighton, NY/Brighton) allowed five runs (one earned) with nine strikeouts over five innings of relief, while sophomore Alex Savory (Sodus, NY/Sodus) gave up two runs (one earned) with seven strikeouts over four innings of relief.
Game Two
After allowing a first-inning run, the Lakers pounced with a pair of unearned in the home of the half to take a 2-1 lead. Genesee CC struck for three runs in the second and added a run in the third to take a 5-2 lead into the sixth inning.
FLCC threatened to tie the game in the bottom of the sixth. McClare led off with a single, stole second, advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored on a wild pitch. Freshman Ryan C. Smith (Fairport, NY/Fairport) then singled into right field, advanced to second when Murphy was hit by a pitch, and the Lakers loaded the bases when sophomore Lukas Haefner (Henrietta, NY/Rush-Henrietta) was hit by a pitch. Following a strikeout, sophomore Devin Kelley (Clifton Springs, NY/Midlakes) was also hit by a pitch scoring Smith as FLCC pulled within 5-4. But a groundout with the bases loaded ended the threat.
Down to their last at-bats, the Lakers evened the score in the seventh. Freshman Alfredo Hurtado (Davie, FL/Chaminade-Madonna College Preparatory) was hit by a pitch, advanced to second and then third base on a wild pitch, and scored when Ryan C. Smith singled towards shortstop.
Neither team threatened in the eighth inning. Sophomore Maxx Countryman (Fairport, NY/Avon) retired the side in the ninth, setting the stage for a walk-off win when freshman Ryan Smith (Cheektowaga, NY/Maryvale) walked, advanced to second on a fielder's choice, moved to third on a passed ball and crossed the plate on a throwing error by the Cougars' catcher.
Kelly was 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored, Sulimowicz drove in a pair of runs, Ryan C. Smith was 3-for-5 with an RBI and a run scored, and McClare was 2-for-5 with two stolen bases and a run scored in the win.
Countryman allowed five runs (four earned) on nine hits with nine strikeouts and zero walks in the complete-game win.
The Lakers travel to take on Genesee CC Sunday. First pitch is set for 1 p.m.